To Find a Muse
by VivaJayne
Summary: Gray is feeling blue. His many attempts at making a gift for a certain farmer friend of his have all failed, and he's beginning to give up hope. Until, that is, he gets a visit that turns his day around in ways he never would've expected. ClairexGray, Lemon.


**Hello everyone! Welcome to one of my many Harvest Moon themed one-shots!**

**My goal is to eventually have a fic for every bachelor that I've married (at least my favourite ones). This one features Gray, from Harvest Moon: More Friends of Mineral Town.**

**On with the show!**

_To Find a Muse_

Crash!

Gray chucked the mangled piece of metal to the ground, kicking it hard across the room. It was his third fuck up of the day, and his nerves were on fire with frustration and self criticism. What the hell was he doing wrong?

Saibara's lumbering footsteps sounded from the other room, getting louder as he walked. Gray flinched, practically begging his grandfather not to come in, to just leave him alone to his anger, but it was almost never meant to be. Saibara had a nasty habit of thinking he was helping, when really he was just making everything so much worse.

Gray squeezed his eyes shut, waiting for the sound of the door, but it never came. A few beats of silence, and then Saibara was stomping away again, apparently having decided his grandson wasn't worth the trouble today.

No, that wasn't fair. The old man loved him, Gray knew that. He was only hard on him because he wanted to see him succeed, and right now, that was a long way off.

Gray glanced miserably at his failures, already collecting dust in the corner of the work shop. It was just a ring, a simple ring, and he couldn't even manage the rough outline of what he wanted. Gray was used to having off days, but today was the worst in a long time.

Maybe it was because-

"Gah!" Gray cursed, driving his fists into his temples. No, not today. Definitely not today.

Mineral Town was unusually quiet today, a steady rain pouring down on the cobblestone streets and wooden buildings, coating the world in a slick, shimmering layer. Most of the townsfolk stayed home on days like this, venturing only as far as their next door neighbour's place, if that. Gray rarely left the house at all, rain or shine, so his schedule wasn't really affected.

The apprentice blacksmith pushed his hand under his ballcap, shaking some sweat from his blond hair. How long had he been working anyway? Probably too long. If Claire were here, she'd definitely scold him. Gray could hear it now, her sweet vibrato berating him with the ferocity of a tiger-

He caught himself smiling, immediately shaking the image away.

Ah, Claire.

Gray was shy with just about everyone, but doubly so with the new farmer. Claire moved to Mineral Town last Spring, taking over the old dilapidated farm south of the town. She was bubbly, bright, and burning with enthusiasm, all things that Gray envied about her. She seemed to be everyone's friend, even his, and that was no small feat with the colourful characters of Mineral Town.

Absently, he picked up another block of metal and began to work it. Gray remembered meeting Claire, the big smile on her face, the way she opened up to him like a flower in bloom. Gray wished he could be like that. Sure, he had the desire to perfect his craft, but he lacked the drive that Claire clearly had in spades. He wanted to be like her, wished he could, and even found himself seeking her advice.

Not to mention, she's really cute.

Gray blushed. No, cute wasn't the word. Pretty, beautiful, charming, sweet, caring… Gray could go on and on about the young farmer, with her bright blue overalls and shimmering yellow hair. As much as he hated to give any credit to his grandpa's ramblings, Gray couldn't deny that he was crushing. Hard.

A coal snapped suddenly in the furnace, sparking a chain reaction in the belly of the machine. Gray ignored it, whittling away at his work.

It was late in the day now, after supper and nearing dark. The shop was closed, but Gray took no notice. He didn't work for clients yet, he wasn't good enough for that, so he set his own hours. Saibara took care of any orders that came in, although business was slow when Claire wasn't working on anything new.

She almost singlehandedly brought life back to Mineral Town when she moved in, reviving their exports and discovering new avenues for the economy to thrive. Gray added it to the long list of things he loved about her, right next to her almost daily visits to the shop.

Claire was fascinated by blacksmithing. She told Saibara so herself, after watching him work on her hammer for a while. Even when she didn't have a project, she would stop by the shop to watch his grandpa work, sometimes observing Gray too, which always made him nervous. He liked the attention though, despite how red his ears got.

He was expecting to see her today too, as he usually did on Fridays. It was strange then, that the entire day passed without any word from Claire at all.

Gray shuffled in his seat, repositioning his tools and station.

Disappointment was the usual emotion that struck him when he realised he wouldn't be seeing Claire that day, but now it was mixed with a tinge of relief. The project in his hands, the one he'd been struggling so much with, was kind of for her.

Even thinking that made Gray scrunch his nose with embarrassment. His work wasn't good enough to present to Claire, he knew that. But he wanted to do something for her, something personal and from the heart, as thanks for being his friend. Claire was just about the only person in Mineral Town that actually bothered to try and talk to Gray, so it was only natural for him to want to show his gratitude.

Besides, if she liked it, maybe he could…

No. No, no, no, no, no. Nuh-uh. Not a chance.

Gray could already hear Saibara's voice, taunting him over the dinner table.

"Why don't you ask her on a date? What's the worst she could say?"

"'No'?" Gray had muttered miserably, thinking of the devastation he would feel at Claire's rejection, fearing the damage it might cause their friendship.

"Never know unless you ask."

Alright, sure. Gray was perfectly fine not knowing.

Gray switched tools, picking away at a different part of the metal.

It was a moot point anyway really. Alex, the local doctor, was courting Claire now. Everyone knew that. If Gray tried to make his feelings known, she'd probably just laugh in his face.

Except that Claire would never be so cruel. She'd turn him down gently, leaving Gray to wallow in his own stupidity.

No, it was much better this way. Gray and Claire just being friends, hanging out, talking, spending time together. That's what he needed. That's all he needed. Just to see her, hear her voice, share her smiles, watch the cute way she toyed with her hair, smell the freshness of her clothes when she walked by, feel the warmth radiating off of her at any given moment, lighting the room whenever she burst through the door.

Gray sighed. He was losing himself to his thoughts again, not paying attention to his work. Saibara would surely yell at him for wasting more material, but there was nothing he could do. Gray risked a glance at the damage he'd done, if only to see if it was salvageable, but he had to do a double take.

In his hand sat the perfect beginning stages of a ring.

He blinked. Looked at the ring. Blinked again.

When had he…?

Gray turned the ring over his fingers, marvelling at what he'd accomplished. How on earth had he managed that? He wasn't doing anything different from before, was he? He tried to think back, retracing his steps. He'd picked up the metal, worked it through his hands, started thinking about Claire…

Gray bit his lip, his cheeks pinking. He'd been thinking about Claire.

The ring was almost exactly what he'd wanted to give her. The ghosts of the patterns he was forming fit her personality perfectly. When it was done, if he could maintain his momentum, the ring would be the ideal gift for her.

It seems Gray accidentally found his muse. Man, that was embarrassing. Maybe it was a good thing that Claire decided not to-

"Ahh!"

Gray nearly dropped his work as the front door banged open, wind and rain howling in from the dark evening, spattering the welcome mat. Water wasn't the only thing bursting into the shop though; Claire tumbled forward through the entryway, her hand still clutching the doorknob, plummeting face first to the hardwood.

"Claire!" Gray exclaimed, jumping up so fast he knocked over his stool. He rushed over to the farmer as she righted herself, rolling into a seated position as she kicked the door shut. It rattled in the frame with the force of the wind.

"I'm so sorry!" Claire apologised, pushing her wet hair out of her eyes. Her cheeks were pink with cold, her clothes soaked through and spattered with what looked like mud. Gray knelt next to her, unsure if he should help her up or leave her be.

"What happened?" he demanded worriedly, his heart pounding. Claire wasn't always the most graceful soul, but this was entirely new. She smiled sheepishly, making Gray's heart skip.

"I happened," she sighed, laughing at her own expense. "I ran out of birdseed, so I was on my way to see Rick and I tripped on the cobblestone. I messed up my ankle pretty bad, I think."

She pulled up the hem of her overalls to show him the angry lump forming around her foot. Gray winced just looking at it.

"I was trying to make my way back," she admitted, performing a test wiggle and nearly crying out in pain. "But I couldn't make it. I just needed to rest for a minute, and here was the closest place. I hope that's ok?"

'Ok'?

"Claire," Gray seethed, helping her into a more comfortable seated position. "You're not walking home by yourself like this. Are you stupid? You could've died!"

"I was being careful!" Claire pouted, wringing some of the water from her hair. "I only tripped on my way in because I was leaning on the door. I made it all the way from Rick's by myself!"

"Rick lives literally next door!" Gray huffed, pushing his cap back into place. His heart was beating hard, thinking about what could've happened had Claire not stopped at the shop. He didn't let himself think too hard though, a real fear taking root in his stomach. "You can stay here for a while, until you're feeling better. I'll just tell grandpa-"

"No!" Claire shook her head vehemently, clutching Gray's sleeve as he stood. He fumbled, finding his balance just before tripping. "Gray, I have to go back! The chickens need their food, I can't leave them alone all night."

Gray frowned, leveling her with a hard glare.

"You're hurt."

"I can make it!" she insisted, trying to get to her feet. She didn't quite get there, giving up and sitting on the floor again. "I just need a bit of a break, that's all. I swear."

Gray furrowed his brow. He used to think he was stubborn, until he met Claire. He knew that once she set her mind to something, there was no chance she'd change it. But there was also no way he was letting her limp home by herself.

Decided, Gray pushed himself up and made his way to the front closet.

"What are you doing?" Claire asked, twisting to watch him. "Gray?"

"I'm taking you home."

His grunt was met with a wide-eyed blink from Claire. Her bright blue irises sparkled with surprise, eyelashes fluttering, until panic set in.

"Oh, no!" she insisted, shaking her head vehemently, "Gray, that's really not necessary! You're working, and it's so gross out, I can't ask you to-"

"You didn't ask," Gray shrugged.

Claire stammered through a blush, trying to find the right words to make him believe her.

"Gray, honestly," she pleaded, squirming until she was balancing on her knees. "I can't let you go out of your way for me. Especially since this was all my fault."

Gray rolled his eyes, zipping up his rain slicker. Claire made some more half-hearted protests, but she had to stop when Gray held his hand out to her. She hesitated, eyes darting from his palm to his frown, before tentatively slipping her fingers into his grasp.

With a great huff, Gray hoisted her to her feet.

"You _really_ don't need to do this," she tried again, lifting her arms awkwardly as Gray secured his around her waist. "I can make it back on my own."

"Make it back where?"

Gray and Claire turned with a start. Saibara had slipped into the room without either of them noticing, and he was fixing them with a withering glare from the stairwell. Gray blinked at his grandfather, his arms still wound tightly around Claire's waist, and immediately began to flounder.

"Gramps-!" Gray tried to move his hands to anywhere but Claire's body, but he couldn't just let her fall. Instead, his limbs seemed to freeze in place as his skin darkened. Saibara quirked his brows, a mischievous smile overtaking his lips as he took on the expression of someone who'd stumbled upon something they weren't supposed to see.

"Back to my farm," Claire admitted sadly, having missed the silent exchange between the old man and his grandson. "I hurt my ankle. Gray was just offering to take me home."

Saibara held Gray's stare for another breath before letting his eyes drift to Claire's ankle. He shuffled over, crouching to get a better idea of the damage.

"Hmm." He tilted his head, his brow furrowing. "Looks swollen. I'd say you've got yourself a pretty nasty sprain, Miss Claire."

Claire blushed, pushing her damp hair behind her ear.

"I'm sure I just need some rest," she insisted, nodding to the door. "I was on my way home already, but I needed to take a breather."

"It's a good thing you did," Saibara nodded, straightening his spine with a symphony of cracks. "You shouldn't be walking on it at all. Gray, you'll have to carry her if you want her to make it back in one piece."

Claire and Gray each went white, but neither of them noticed. It didn't slip past Saibara, though.

"C-carry?" Claire stammered, "oh no. No, that's not necessary. Gray, I would never expect you to- I mean it's so far and it's raining, and I-"

"Nonsense," Saibara tutted, shooting the pair of young lovebirds a knowing wink, "Gray's young. He can handle it."

"Gramps!" Gray finally managed to spit out, his tongue dry and thick in his mouth. "Claire doesn't want me to carry her all the way back to her farm!"

"Whether she wants you to or not is beside the point at the moment," Saibara rumbled, addressing Claire now. "If you limp all the way there, you're going to double your recovery time. As it is, you'll be off your feet for a couple of weeks. I'm sure you don't want to make it a month?"

Claire shook her head adamantly. No, she certainly didn't want that.

"But…" the blonde farmer bit her lip, her blue eyes flickering to the side of Gray's face. She was still leaning on him, feeling warmed by his secure embrace. "Gray? I can't let you carry me. That's just… too much."

Gray cleared his throat, ignoring the subtle encouragement from Saibara.

"I can handle it," he insisted, echoing his grandfather's words. A part of Gray's mind was convinced that Saibara had made up that bit about doubling Claire's recovery time, but she _was_ in a lot of pain, he could see that. Even with him supporting her, she winced with every shift. It would take them nearly an hour to get back to her farm, and by then who knows how her ankle would be? His work had made him strong; Gray was sure he'd be able to carry her there.

"I-" Claire paused, listening to the wind howling outside. The weather was getting worse; if they didn't start moving now, she might be caught here all night. "Gray… I know you can handle it, it's just…"

They stared at each other, neither speaking, until Gray loosed one of his arms from Claire's waist.

"Gramps?" he grunted, slipping his free arm under Claire's knees. "Could you get the door?"

.

It was a quiet walk back to Claire's. Gray cradled the injured farmer to his chest, carrying her bridal-style down the slippery pathway. Claire stopped protesting after they reached the end of the street, instead wrapping her arms around Gray's neck to take some of the pressure off his arms.

She didn't need to, it seemed. He was a lot stronger than she thought he was.

Claire always knew that Gray was strong, of course. He worked with metal and heavy machinery- his daily routine alone would require him to have a decent set of muscles. She just hadn't been prepared for _how _strong he was.

As they entered the final stretch to the house, Gray wasn't even panting. He was as composed as when they left the Blacksmith's, staring firmly in the direction he was walking. Claire decided that was for the best- she was far too focused on the hardness of his muscles and the gentle way he held her to form cohesive sentences.

She would never understand how he didn't have a girlfriend.

The house was just as she left it, a dying fire still glowing in the woodstove. Gray kicked the door shut behind him, setting Claire gingerly down in her dining room chair.

"I can literally never thank you enough, Gray," Claire sighed, struggling to get to her feet. Even using the table as support, her ankle screamed at her. "Are you hungry or anything? I have tea and cake and-"

"Claire," Gray scolded, scrunching his brow, "you need to rest. I'm fine."

"You just came all that way," Claire insisted, turning towards the fridge, "the least I can do is feed you. I think I have some sandwiches in here somewhere- oh!"

She stepped a little too freely, her ankle caving beneath her. A brief moment of weightlessness followed, and then she was colliding backwards into Gray.

"I'm sorry!" She righted herself, a deep blush creeping up her neck. "Are you ok?"

Gray rolled his eyes, helping Claire back into the chair.

"Would you stay put?" he grumbled, sticking his hands in his pockets. "If you're not careful, you're really going to hurt yourself. I don't need anything, alright? You need rest."

"I'll rest in a minute," Claire argued, struggling to her feet again. Gray tried to intervene, but she ignored him. "I have to get this feed out to the chickens, and then I promise I'll-"

"No," Gray growled, losing his patience. He took Claire by the shoulders, firmly but not too tight, and forced her to look at him. "Claire. You need to stop this. The only thing that's going to happen if you keep this up is you hurting yourself more. Look, I'll go out and feed your chickens for you. But you have to _sit down_, alright? I'll come back in when I'm done and check on you before I leave."

His tone left no room for arguing. Claire wasn't used to hearing Gray like this, she almost didn't know how to respond. His eyes were hard and determined, boring into hers with a look that told her she should listen. She nodded, settling back down in the chair.

Gray let out a sigh. He took the bag of feed that Claire offered him, making his way back out into the rain.

She was stubborn, for a born city girl. The only people more stubborn than Claire were born in the countryside, so Gray wasn't sure where she picked it up from.

The weather was slacking off, a light mist of rain coating him as he stomped off to the coop. He didn't mind helping Claire, not at all, but the woman would be the death of him. She was so focused on everything but her own wellbeing, it was enough to drive him crazy. What would he have done if something happened to her?

The chickens were more rambunctious than Gray had ever seen them, not that he'd seen them much. Claire was right, they definitely wouldn't have waited much longer for food. He was surprised they hadn't started a full blown rebellion, what with all the squawking and wing-flapping he walked in on. The bag barely touched the floor before Gray was bombarded.

"Hang on a second," he huffed, fighting a chuckle. The whirlwind of birds was too thick to bother being graceful with the feed; Gray scattered a heaping helping into the feed box, distracting the horde long enough for him to slip back outside.

Gray shook his head, wiping the rainwater off his brow. Out of the corner of his eye, he caught an upstairs light shining from Claire's farmhouse. Well. Hopefully she'd made it to her bedroom, at least.

Carrying her here was easy. Claire was so small and delicate of frame, it was hardly any effort at all to bear her weight. No, the hard part had been ignoring the feeling of having her in his arms at all.

Gray was thankful for the dark, his cheeks still red from the thoughts coursing through his mind. Claire was warm, and her hair smelled like daisies. It took everything he had to keep his mind firmly out of the gutter.

Mercifully, it would all be over soon. All he had to do was quickly check on Claire, and then he could retire to the safety of his workshop.

Gray cracked the door open, poking his head inside and taking a scan of the room. Claire was nowhere to be found, confirming his suspicions that she'd gone upstairs.

"Claire?" Gray called, stepping further into the house. "Hey, you upstairs?"

A faint confirmation met his ears. Gray adjusted his jacket, preparing to head back out.

"The chickens are all fed," he shouted, "so I'm going to take off. Let me know if you need anything, ok?"

A brief pause. And then-

"Um, actually, Gray? Could you come up here for a second? I… I need help."

Gray furrowed his brow. Claire must really be struggling if she was willingly asking for his help. He kicked off his boots and headed for the stairs.

"Bedroom?" he guessed, trying the first door on his left. He'd never been inside Claire's house before, at least not this floor. He'd be nervous, if the circumstances were any different. The first room was, in fact, her bedroom, but Claire was nowhere to be found.

"Uh… bathroom."

Her correction startled him, and now Gray did feel embarrassed. What help could she possibly need in there?

The next door was a hall closet, as he found out by almost walking right into it. The bathroom must be at the end then, the last door on the right.

Gray paused in front of it. It was closed, as bathroom doors usually were when someone was in there. He raised his hand to knock, and then realised that was stupid; Claire already knew he was coming.

"Do you need me to… come in?" Gray asked uncertainly. There was some shuffling behind the door, and then Claire's voice beckoning him. Yes, as a matter of fact, she did need him to come in.

Gray gulped, taking the knob in his hand and giving it a tentative twist.

The door swung open, revealing an empty room. Gray frowned.

"Claire-?"

He took a step in and stopped, his eyes falling on the blonde farmer.

The blonde, _naked_, farmer.

Well, naked wasn't entirely true. She was standing in the bathtub, a thick towel wrapped tightly around her torso. It covered everything important, but that was about it. The fabric fell to her upper thigh and mid-cleavage, not leaving much to the imagination. Claire's work clothes were heaped in a pile on the floor, with a clean pair of pajamas folded neatly on the hamper.

"Shit," Gray cursed, looking away just as quickly as he'd walked in. His cheeks were beet red now, trying to banish the image of Claire's nearly bare body from his mind. "Sorry, I shouldn't have just-"

"It's ok," Claire insisted, pulling at her towel. Gray waited half a breath for her to continue. "I thought that maybe a hot bath would help, but… um. I'm kind of… stuck."

Gray looked up again, startled. Claire nodded down, demonstrating her predicament.

He wasn't sure how she'd managed to get into the tub in the first place, but there wasn't any water in there yet. Claire tried first lifting her left leg, but couldn't place it down on the floor without shifting weight to it. The opposite problem presented itself with her right leg, her left being unable to hold her weight while she placed her right on the floor.

Gray almost laughed. He made his way over to the tub, holding his arms out for her.

"Come on," he murmured, keeping his eyes downcast, "I'll lift you out."

Claire nodded, and they worked together to free her. Gray snaked his arms around her waist and braced himself, hoisting her out of the tub and back onto the tile. Claire made a startled squeak as her feet found the floor again, probably from the cold. Gray was about to let go, to retreat from the bathroom as quickly as he could and let her change, but apparently he'd been wrong. Claire's squeak was from something other than the cold.

She lost her balance as soon as he let her go, slipping on the wet spots on the floor from her clothes. Claire tumbled into Gray, his arms catching her again as they both stumbled into the clothes hamper. Gray felt the back of his knees hit, throwing him off his own feet, and then his back collided with the wall.

Claire screamed as they fell, Gray fighting to keep them from hitting the floor. He managed to catch himself on the hamper, sitting haphazardly on the lid. Claire clung to him, her hands on his shoulders, perching precariously in his lap.

"Are you ok?" Gray asked worriedly, glancing down at her face. She wouldn't meet his gaze, her eyes locked on the space between them. "Claire?"

Too soon, Gray realised why her skin was suddenly so pink.

His heart thudded. Claire was sitting in his lap, straddling him, wearing nothing but a towel. And the towel was a light breeze away from falling off of her. It had already slipped lower on her chest, revealing the beautifully round curves of her breasts.

"I-uh-" A fierce blush overtook Gray's neck and chest, making him sweat. Claire's small body was so light and delicate; the feeling of her in his lap was bad for his blood pressure.

"I'm so sorry!" Claire apologized, nearly as red as he was. She quickly struggled to get up, but the moment her foot touched the cold tile she winced and fell back into Gray's embrace.

"Be careful!" He commanded, wrapping his arms tightly around her waist to keep her steady. Claire's damp hair had fallen into her face, marring her expression, but Gray could tell how shy she was. He tried to turn his eyes away from her exposed skin, but it was impossible to keep his eyes open without catching a glimpse of her.

"I'm sorry," she whispered again, quieter this time. Gray felt her shift on top of him, her towel riding higher on her legs. He tried desperately not to think about her weight on him, the way her thighs squeezed his ever so hesitantly…

A jolt of desire shot through him, making his crotch twitch. Gray shuffled uncomfortably, praying Claire hadn't noticed.

"How do we get out of this one?" she laughed nervously.

Gray's attention was pulled back to her face, blinking innocently up at him. He stared in wonder at her eyes- had they always been so bright? He knew she had blue irises, but he'd never noticed the little flecks of grey sprinkled in, or the tiny freckles spattered across her nose, and was that a scar on her lip? Yes, he was pretty sure it was, just a little one. Just a small puckering of her otherwise smooth skin, enough to see if he got really close. Gray doubted he'd even be able to feel it if he kissed her.

"I'll carry you to your bed," Gray murmured, fighting the ferocious blush that was colouring every inch of skin on his body. "And I can bring your clothes to you. Once your dressed I'll just… um… head home."

Claire nodded, biting her lip as Gray shifted, preparing to lift her. His hands found her thighs, pulling back as if something bit him when his fingers found bare skin.

"Sorry!" He exclaimed, his throat tight. "I forgot, I- uh, maybe I should give Alex a call. This is something he'd be better equipped to… well, you know."

Claire frowned at him.

"Alex?" she repeated, gripping her towel to her chest. "Why would you call Alex? I don't think there's anything he can do for a sprain."

"No, I mean… you know, helping you get dressed and stuff." Gray's skin was tingling with embarrassment, his voice strained. "You guys are… dating, aren't you?"

"What?" Claire blinked, stifling her shock. "No, of course not! What would make you…? He's- Alex is with Elli. I thought everyone knew that?"

"Alex is dating… Elli?"

Gray and Claire stared at each other. Gray's mind was suddenly racing- everything he'd thought about the doctor and Claire over the last few weeks was… wrong. It was just wrong. They weren't dating, not by a long shot. Claire wasn't dating anybody at all.

"Yeah," Claire confirmed, tucking her hair behind her ear again. "I didn't realise you thought we were a couple. I would've corrected you if I'd known. Gray… you're the last person I'd want to think that I was seeing someone."

Gray's heart plummeted to his stomach, at the same time it soared to his throat. What did _that _mean?

"Me? Why?"

He'd completely forgotten about their compromising position, far too focussed on Claire's embarrassed smile. She didn't answer exactly, just leaned towards him until their chests were almost touching. Gray sucked in a breath. He wasn't the best at reading signals, but this one was coming in loud and clear.

Claire bit her bottom lip, reaching down to grab Gray's hand. He watched her, transfixed, as she brought it up to her cheek and pressed his palm against the side of her face. Immediately her eyes fluttered shut, a relaxed sigh escaping her.

"I always wondered what your hands felt like," she confessed, twining her fingers with his, keeping his palm in place. "They're rough and warm. Just like I thought they'd be."

Gray couldn't believe it. Claire was… confessing to him. It was impossible, totally and completely irrational, and yet it was happening. The desire he felt for her was now mixed with a tight longing in his chest. He had a chance. Maybe… just maybe, if he let his instincts take over for his dumb brain, he wouldn't blow it.

"You're so soft," he murmured, his fingers trailing along the slope of her neck. Claire watched with wide, sparkling eyes as he lost himself in the smoothness of her skin, the scattered drops of water that peppered her chest and shoulders. She was so beautiful, it pained Gray to look at her sometimes, knowing he couldn't hold her like he wanted to.

"Gray…" Claire's whisper caught him off guard, pulling him from his thoughts and bringing his attention back to her. He tilted his head up to her, startled when his lips were met by hers.

Her kiss was nervous but determined, her mouth pressed firmly against his. Gray grunted in surprise, taken off guard but more than willing. She was sweet and warm, and her back arched into him as he began to part her lips with his.

Apparently, letting his instincts take over had been the right call.

Gray fell into the kiss quicker than he thought he would, his hands finding Claire's hips and pulling them against his own. She helped him bring them closer, molding her body to him, tracing her fingers over his shoulders and tangling in his hair.

Claire was calling to him like a magnet, Gray's crush evolving instantly into a full blown infatuation. His heart hammering out a frightful rhythm in his chest, Gray coaxed Claire's mouth open, pushing his tongue between her teeth.

"Mmf-" Claire whimpered, meeting his intrusion with her own tongue, trying to catch her breath as their kisses deepened. Gray wasn't exactly an expert at this stuff, but he'd kissed before. He knew the basics, and that's all he really needed. Claire seemed to know the basics too, pulling his lip between hers and suckling, grazing it with her teeth. Gray groaned involuntarily, the feelings coursing through him setting his nerves on fire.

You know, he really hadn't been expecting his day to go like this.

Gray's hands slipped from Claire's hips to her ribs, holding her to him, when he noticed that his fingers had met bare skin and not towel.

Claire noticed too, breaking their kiss to look down at herself. Her towel was bunched around her hips, leaving the rest of her entirely exposed.

Her cheeks flushed as Gray reached to grab it for her, keeping his eyes as averted as he possibly could. His fingers found the cotton towel and he began to lift, when suddenly Claire's hand appeared on top of his.

"Don't," she whispered.

Gray looked up at her in shock. Her eyes were dark and almost sleepy, her lips swollen from their kiss. They stared at each other in silent communication until Gray finally realised that this wasn't going to stop at a kiss.

His crotch twitched again, and this time Claire definitely noticed.

She shifted in his lap, almost grinding herself on the growing bulge in his pants. Gray's breathing picked up, the towel all but forgotten.

He tried not to look at her chest right away, and he almost succeeded. Claire kissed him again, distracting him, but then she moved to nibble his ear and Gray found his gaze slipping down, his chest tensing as he caught sight of Claire's breasts for the first time.

They were so round and plump, nothing like how they looked through her overalls. Her skin was creamy and white, her little pink nipples puckering against the fabric of his work clothes. Now Gray was fully erect, his manhood caught between Claire's thighs.

This was really happening.

"Bed," Claire whispered harshly, having felt Gray's erection brushing against her sex. She was a little surprised at herself- she wasn't usually this forward. But she was nearly naked and Gray's body was pressed so tightly against hers… it was a miracle she hadn't requested it sooner.

Gray hoisted Claire in his arms, abandoning the towel entirely as he made his way to Claire's bedroom.

He laid her on the bed, breaking away from her kisses long enough to strip himself. Any sense of shame or embarrassment left him entirely as Claire helped him pull at his clothes, her lips and teeth grazing his abdomen as he struggled with his pants. Gray kicked the remainder of his clothes across the room, pausing to take in the sight of Claire's milky white body before him, waiting for him, and then he was kissing her again, tipping her onto her back.

Their kisses grew more and more heated, the bed creaking beneath them as they adjusted. Claire's quilt bunched under her, tangling her hair and itching her skin. She didn't seem to mind, her fingers running through Gray's locks.

It was the most mind-blowing feeling in the world, Gray's bare skin rubbing against Claire's as they continued to kiss. Her legs parted to bring them closer still, hooking her knees over Gray's hips and taking care not to strike her injured ankle.

Gray never imagined he would ever be here. Not with Claire.

His hips grinding against hers, Gray almost didn't notice when Claire took his hand and wrapped it around her breast. He didn't protest, squeezing as she arched her spine into his grip.

"Gray?" she whispered, meeting every movement of his pelvis. "Will you touch me?"

Gray's heart stopped. He wasn't expecting to hear her ask so blatantly, but there it was. Of course he would touch her, if that's what she wanted. He would never deny her something like that.

With a deep, desperate kiss, Gray moved his hips away from Claire's and began to trace his hand down her body.

He didn't know exactly what he was doing, but Claire's skin sprang up in goosebumps as he followed the gentle slope of her stomach. He took that as a good sign, continuing to kiss her as fiercely as he could, until his hand was just above her sex.

Gray couldn't bring himself to move any further than that.

"What's wrong?" Claire asked as he froze, too nervous to touch her. Gray was a virgin, and while he wasn't ashamed of that, he wasn't sure that now was the best time to address the topic.

"I've uh… never done this before," Gray admitted abashedly, averting his gaze. Claire didn't say anything, just reached down.

"Just… um, like this." Claire held his hand in hers, guiding his finger in soft, gentle circles. Gray watched through hooded lids as her lips parted, her breath catching in her throat. She was so warm, his fingers glided easily over her wet skin, drawing heated breaths from her chest.

"A little faster," Claire instructed, lifting her hips into his palm. Gray nodded mutely, following her every word. Her free hand wound its way through his hair, her head tipping back against her bed. The feeling of his fingers swirling inside of her was everything- Claire sucked in a breath as her heart beat faster, her stomach tightening.

She was quivering now, Gray could feel it with every stroke. He didn't know what to do next, but he was sure Claire would tell him. In the meantime, he listened to his own instincts, dipping his head to press his lips against her neck. Claire gasped, digging her fingers into his scalp as he licked, sucked, and nibbled. He found himself stroking her faster to match her breaths, and then she began to moan.

Soft, gentle whimpers at first, and then they grew louder. They were the sweetest sounds Gray had ever heard, like a delicious, sexual melody. He groaned against her skin, slipping his fingers in and out, in and out, faster and faster until she was practically writhing beneath him, her voice filling his ears with desire. She was so perfect, so utterly perfect.

"Gray," Claire cried, reaching down to dislodge his hand. He thought for a moment he'd done something wrong, but when he looked at her in concern, she just shook her head. No, he hadn't done anything wrong. She just wanted more.

Now Gray felt a tight coil in his abdomen. Claire pulled him between her legs properly, wrapping her thighs around his hips. She was flushed, sweat sticking to her skin, her irises dark with lust. Gray could barely contain himself, the need to take her was overwhelmingly powerful.

He reached down, grasping himself in his palm. He was throbbing with need, and the sight of Claire, spread and ready beneath him, did nothing to help. Gray grit his teeth, rubbing himself in the wetness collecting between Claire's legs. She whimpered with each pass, shaking with anticipation. After he was coated in her desire, Gray hesitantly began to push himself inside of her tight sex.

Claire threw her head back, another soft moan clawing free from her throat. Gray revelled in the sound, pulling out and pressing in again. He was barely inside at all really, just enough to feel it, but the sensation was like nothing he'd ever felt before. Claire began to pant as he moved in and out, going a little deeper every time, until he couldn't stand it anymore.

Gray gripped her hips, lining himself up, and sank slowly into her.

Claire cried out in pleasure, pulling him further into her with her thighs. Gray groaned, covering her torso with his and rolling his hips, thrusting out a steady rhythm.

Sweat dripped from his hair, his muscles screaming, but Gray didn't care. Tiny explosions of pleasure were going off in every nerve, punctuated by Claire's addictive cries. Her nails nearly ripped into his skin, her grip on his shoulders was so tight, but Gray didn't care about that either. There was only now, only this moment, and he never wanted it to end.

His body had other plans, it would seem.

A firm pressure built in his abdomen, driving him to thrust faster, harder, deeper, more, more, more. Claire screamed, his name falling from her lips over and over, her heat enveloping him, calling out to him, gripping a deep part of himself and holding on for dear life. Gray felt his hips jerk once, twice, and then he was lost. He felt a tidal wave of release, bringing with it excitement, relief, pleasure, and aching all at once. It was like he wasn't deep enough, like he had to get deeper, he had to have more, and he found himself drilling Claire's pelvis into the mattress. She wrapped her arms around his neck as he twitched, emptying himself inside of her.

A guttural, animalistic noise escaped his chest as Gray caught his breath. His entire body tingled, like fireworks exploding across his skin. He began to pull away, to shake the stars from his eyes, when Claire stopped him.

"Wait, wait," she pleaded, still panting. Gray glanced between them where they were still joined, Claire's fingers working furiously at her sex. Her hips pulsed, his erection still buried deeply inside of her, his fluids now mixing with hers. She swirled her fingers around and around, her breath hitching, and Gray realised she hadn't found her release yet. Immediately he began to move inside her, hoping to help coax her over the edge, and his plan seemed to work. Claire gasped, a high-pitched moan parting her lips.

With her mouth still open, Gray claimed it with his tongue.

As he and Claire slipped back into a full-body kiss, Gray marvelled at his luck. He never in a million years thought his first time would be with Claire, nor that it would be so… explosive. He felt awkward, sweaty, sore, and sticky, but none of it mattered. Claire was alive with adrenaline beneath him, kissing him back with as much enthusiasm as when they'd started, and Gray wouldn't trade this for the world.

He briefly thought back to the morning, to the ring he'd been working on for Claire. He'd have to finish it now, to formally ask her to be his girlfriend. A tremor of fear ran through him at that thought- what if she said no? That was stupid, of course, but he thought about it anyway. He'd have to make sure the ring was absolutely perfect. That wouldn't be difficult now, he didn't think.

Now that he'd finally found his muse.

**The End.**

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